Resilient suspension device for the bodies of motor-cars and similar road-vehicles.



V. R. GOLLARD.

RESILIENT SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR THE BODIES 0F MOTOR CARS AND SIMILAR ROAD VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.14, 1913.

1 9 1 1 9 1 it"? Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

a SUSPENSION nnvrcn no net units or a VlElIiGl INS,

specification of Letters Patent.

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To all whom it may cone Be it brown that l, Vro'ron Racer. Lonnann, of Graeeville, 43 Camden street,

Balaclava, in the State-of Victoria, Corn- 115 road shocks and jar consequent upon a vehicle passing over an uneven roadway.

Hitherto it has been the general custom to place flat or coiled springs of various types between the body and axles to obtain a desired amount of resiliency. The objection to this method of arrangementis that the springs, which must be of considerable strength, do not readily respond to the concussive force produced when the wheels strike an obstacle on the road.

N ow the object of this invention is to 0bviate the above-mentioned disadvantage by the devisal and employment of means which will insure an added amount of resiliency so being obtained from the springs employed and which will provide a greater degree of comfort to the occupants of the vehicle when the same is passing over very rough roads.

To these ends my invention broadly consists in the employment of suitable levers and pivotally mounted rods whichare constructed' and arranged in a novel manner to compress resilient members of approved form in a horizontal direction.'

an The invention will now be fully described aided by a reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings in which Figure 1 is a view in plan and Fig. '2 is .a view in side elevation of a motor body or a5 chassis frame embodying the invention. Fig. 3 is a view in lan. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation and ig. 5 an end view showing a modification of the arrangement of levers and springs. Fig. 6 is a view in side to elevation of a modification in a constructiona-l part of the invention. Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of a further modification in a constructional part of the invention.

According to s invention ll provide two pairs of lmll-cranh levers a one a be:

connected to the front axle h an i tr pair connected to the rear axle c. bell-or levers Ia are pivotally are at their le portions on brackets d g the chassis body e and are air e with long arms I and short arms (7. llh endsof the long arms f are-swivelly connected to hearings f fitted to the axles b in c of the traveling wheels it while the short ht arms 9 are adapted to project upwardly ,e or slightly above the chassis frame 6. a

The short as y of the bell-cranks a over the front axle b are connected by link rodsi to to a transverse rod 7' arranged approximately above the said axle while the 'shm't arms 9 of the said bell-cranks over the r axle o are'connected direc't to a similar transverse rod These rods j and I: are furnish tt with lugs or brackets Z which are cneeted by short links or shackles m to the ends of semi-elliptic springsnwhich are disposed on edge across the chassis or body frame '6 and are rigidly clamped at their centers to tilt brackets o mounted on the said frame. These springs n are located as shown at a position outside the transverse rods 7' and k and their ends are forced or drawn outwardly by the action of the bell-cranks and tilt link connecting rods when the vehicle is pressed by passing over uneven ground or y the application of additional weight.

If desired the transverse rods j and. it may be fitted with outwardly. projecting ht arms 7) of approved formation through or against which the ends of a straight or semi-elliptic spring g may be passed or made to bear, see Fig. 3 of the drawin. The said arms 71 normally bear against said spring which is. arranged transversely on the chassis body and supported by a central standard or bracket r and its object is to serve the purpose of a louder to absorb any shock caused by the rebound of the body when the vehicle passes over an obstruction or rut.

llf preferred, the straight or semi-elliptic spring g may be dispensed with and ordinary spiral compression springs mounted on thrust rods between the transverse rods 7' and k and buder plates secured to the chassis body which construction can be edected easily by any person skilled in mechanics.

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As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings the semi-elliptic spring at may be arranged inside the transverse rodsj and la and the bell-crank levers a and link connecting rods 11 so arranged that during the depression of the body the ends of the said springs are drawn inwardly instead of outward y as shown in Figs. 1 and '2 of the drawings. Further, if" desired, a slotted guide 8 of approved form may be fitted to the chassis and arranged to engage a stud t attached to or formed on the axle in order to retain the chassis centrally during deression and in opposition to the centrifugal ibrce caused by the vehicle moving rapidly around a curve. The swivel connections between the long arms of the bell-cranks and the axles permit ofany of the wheels rising independently of the others without causing any torsional strain to be applied to the said arms or straining any other part of the suspension device.

The long arms of the bell-cranks may, if preferred, be made of a plurality of spring bars 24 of unequal length and arran ed similarly to those forming one half 0 a semielliptic spring, see Fig. 6 of the drawings. The said spring bars u are made of flat steel and are clamped to the bell-crank at one end and to a swivel bearing f designed "to fit on the axle at the other end. When the long arms are constructed in the manner immediately" above described they will have more or less spring and so. tend to increase the resiliency of the suspension contrivance.

In an alternate construction the inner end of the long arm f of the bell-crank a is pivotally mounted on an upwardly projecti'ng lug of a bracket having a. stem pivotally mounted in the bearing 7 which in this instance can be rigidly secured to the axle. The said bracket has a depending lug to which is secured pivotally a link or rod to having its forward end mounted pivotally on a bracket d or in an extension of the chassis frame. This construction permits of a parallel movement of the long arm f of the bell-crank and link 20 and allows the] axles 'to rise freely without rocking.

With the suspension device constructed and arran ed as hereinbefore described a considerabi space is available for the depression of the vehicle bod thereby permitting of a great amount 0 resiliency and incidentally a greater degree of comfort to the occupants.

What I do claim is 1. A resilient suspension device for vehicles, comprising a pair of bell crank levers having long and short arms and pivoted to the chassis at their angle portion, means for swivelly connecting the long arms to the wheel axle, a semi-elliptic spring transversely disposed on the chassis, shackle links at each end of said semi-elliptic spring, a transverse rod connecting said shackle links, and means connecting said transverse rod with the short armsof said bell crank levers.

2. A resilient suspension device for the bodies of vehicles comprising a pair of bellcrank levers having lon and short arms, the long arms of said be] -cranks being connected swivelly to the wheel axle and the angle portions pivotally mounted on the chassis, links connecting the short arms of said bell-cranks to a transverse rod adapted to bear against the ends of a semi-elliptic spring disposed transversely on the chassis, substantially as described.

3. A resilient suspension device for the bodies of vehicles, comprising a pair of bell crank levers having long and short arms, the long arms of said bell crank levers being connected swivelly to the wheel axle and the angle portion pivotally mounted on the chassis, links connecting the short arms of the said bell crank levers to a transverse rod adapted to bear against the ends of a semi-elliptic spring disposed transversely on the chassis, and one or more resilient springs bearing on said transverse rod in opposition to the said semi-elliptic spring, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR RAOUL COLLARD.

Witnesses:

A. J. CALLINAN, JAMES H. ANDERSON. 

